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To hair or not to hair? That was the question for MJF. Maxwell had a big decision whether to accept Darby Allin’s conditions for hair versus title. AEW Dynamite (May 13, 2026) also featured Allin defending the world championship against Konosuke Takeshita, Jon Moxley watching Will Ospreay’s back against The Opps, the Owen Hart tournament brackets reveal, returns from Mark Briscoe and Brian Cage, and more from Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, NC.
Will MJF accept hair versus title?
MJF entered the arena in a funny scene as he eyed all the bald men walking by. So many baldies. MJF ran into King Bald. Ricochet told MJF not to worry. He would look good bald. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall to watch the epiphany from whoever had this idea and also the production meeting when AEW gathered all the bald men on hand.
AEW addressed the logical story point of MJF trying to help Konosuke Takeshita win the AEW World Championship from Darby Allin, so the hair stipulation would be off the table. MJF loaned his Dynamite Diamond Ring to Don Callis as insurance. Andrade moseyed in making a scene with his luxurious locks to irritate MJF. Andrade also addressed Callis to say that his turn is next for the world title.
Time for the main event. Allin versus Takeshita was another car crash match for the champ. He was feeling tender after that wicked golf course fight with PAC last week on Collision. Takeshita put a pounding on that little man. This avalanche German suplex into a bridging pin was a thing of beauty.
When the time came to cheat, Takeshita declined the Dynamite Diamond Ring.
Allin has the heart of a champion, and he grit through the pain to rally. He countered for a Scorpion Death Drop on the steel steps. Sprinkle in a few Coffin Drops. Takeshita still had his wits for one last gasp. Allin kept his foot on the pedal to snatch Takeshita for a Scorpion Deathlock. The Alpha reached the ropes for the break, and the damage was done. Allin landed two more Coffin Drops to earn the win.
This was a mighty fine main event. I would stop short of calling it PPV worthy, but it was certainly a banger for TV. Allin is so good at pulling counter moves for maximum excitement. His title run has won me over so much that now I don’t want it to end. If this does indeed turn into a short reign, Allin has done enough to cement himself as a legit world champion moving forward for a potential second reign down the line. As for Takeshita, I don’t understand the decision for AEW to book this match prior to his showdown with Kazuchika Okada. Takeshita is a replacement for Okada against Allin, but they didn’t have to do it that way. I feel like this loss knocks the legs out of Takeshita facing Okada. That said, I’m sure the PPV match will be great, and the arena will be rowdy should Takeshita win.
On to more pressing business. Allin called out MJF for an answer and a quickie contract signing. MJF milked the moment with hesitation. He ridiculed Allin’s legacy as being fifteen minutes of fame. That line didn’t faze Allin, because he chooses to live in the moment. Allin wanted to shave MJF bald. Both men signed on the line, and MJF took a cheap shot to stand tall with the title belt. MJF went for an avalanche tombstone, but Kevin Knight ran out for the save to prevent the devilish tactic.
It’s official. Allin versus MJF is title versus hair at Double or Nothing. AEW set this match up nicely. Violence at the contract signing is always appreciated.
Let’s jam through the rest of Dynamite. Catch up on all the details with excellent play-by-play from Claire Elizabeth.
Owen Hart tournaments. The men’s and women’s brackets were revealed. Winners earn world title shots at All In in London.
- Samoa Joe vs. Will Ospreay
- Mark Davis vs. Jack Perry
- Swerve Strickland vs. Bandido
- Claudio Castagnoli vs. Brody King
- Persephone vs. Hazuki
- Willow Nightingale vs. Alex Windsor
- Mina Shirakawa vs. Athena
- Skye Blue vs. Sareee
My immediate reaction to the men’s bracket is that the bouts should be excellent, however, every matchup looks very predictable based on storylines. I’m guessing Ospreay versus Davis and Swerve versus King leads way into Ospreay versus Swerve. I’m curious to see if AEW throws any curveballs in the results.
For the women, that is a crap shoot. I like the mix of international talent. Willow would seem to be the favorite, since she is presented the best on screen right now in AEW. I could also see AEW using the tournament as a stage to showcase Persephone. Windsor can’t be counted out as the ‘hometown’ lass for the title shot at All In. Athena has credibility as forever champ in ROH. Mina could be a dark horse pick. I’m not familiar with Hazuki or Sareee enough to know if they are genuine threats to win the tournament. Blue? She’s the only participant that I’m not buying to be the last standing.
Adam Copeland, Christian Cage, Orange Cassidy, & Young Bucks defeated FTR, Tommaso Ciampa, & The Dogs. On the finish, Copeland leapfrogged over Clark Connors, who then tackled Dax Harwood by accident. Connors knew his fate was coming. Cope and the Bucks delivered a triple superkick to Connors, Cassidy connected on a superman punch, and Cope finished with a spear to pin the Dog.
This was typical ten-man style for AEW with a rapid pace of excitement. The story element was the bad guys targeting Christian’s injured arm. That is relevant for the I Quit match at Double or Nothing. Christian isn’t being presented as a weak link, however, it is clear that AEW is casting a shadow of doubt if he’ll be the one to quit.
There were two backstage promos relevant to the participants. First, Ricochet filled out his Stadium Stampede team. Andrade was assigned by Don Callis, and the Dogs have an axe to grind with the Bucks.
Second, Cassidy wants his earned tag title shot against FTR. Kyle O’Reilly volunteered Roderick Strong to be OC’s partner, because he has eyes on Jon Moxley’s continental championship. In my mind, the heat is completely gone for that O’Reilly feud. The best was yet to come. Mark Briscoe is back, and Dat Boy delivered the word of the day, Reunification. He was a glorious ball of energy calling out Ciampa.
Will Ospreay training session. These motivational scenes with Jon Moxley continue to be my favorite part of the show. Ospreay was in a back arch neck bridge as Moxley provided lessons on submissions. Moxley also gave a pep talk about flying like a bird not weighted down by life’s responsibilities. The difference now is that Ospreay is a dangerous bird of prey. This scene was so good with philosophy all while the Death Riders are grunting in a game of handball in the background. Icing on top was Daniel Garcia referring to Ospreay as young boy Billy.
Will Ospreay defeated Ace Austin. This was Bruv’s first match under Death Riders training. Ace tested Ospreay’s neck, and he passed with no real pain. Ospreay targeted Ace’s left arm, and that paid off in the end. Ace had momentum for The Fold. Ospreay countered for a back body drop and a short-distance Hidden Blade. As Ospreay reared back for the proper Hidden Blade, Ace collapsed on the mat. Ospreay hunted his prey with ruthlessness. He kicked out Ace’s arm and slapped on an armbar to win.
That was an interesting match for Ospreay’s character development. His neck seems to be stronger, and he showed an edge on the submission that will make Moxley proud. That’s not to say Ospreay is losing his moral core. He showed respect to Ace with a handshake after the match. Even though Ace loses to the stars, he continues to stand out with his athleticism. The potential is clear for Ace to move up the ladder when the time comes.
Afterward, Samoa Joe and The Opps observed that Ospreay made his decision. Joe will wait to dish out the consequences in the Owen tournament, but Katsuyuri Shibata and Anthony Bowens were eager to get theirs now. That’s when the Death Riders arrived in full force to watch Ospreay’s back. The Opps retreated. This looked like a bonding moment of trust between Ospreay and Moxley.
“Speedball” Mike Bailey defeated Westbook. Ultima Weapon for the quick win. I suppose the purpose here was to keep Bailey in the spotlight for his world title request and also to keep an eye on Lance Archer in the next match. Also of note, Westbrook had a funny “botch” on the ropes, which I’m not entirely sure was a real botch or just a way to sell that he is in over his head against Speedball. I couldn’t tell in the moment watching only once live.
TNT Championship: Kevin Knight defeated Brian Cage to retain the title. Cage made his return from injury to answer the open challenge. The Machine looked fantastic physically, as if there would be any doubt about that. Renee Paquette confirmed that Cage is even more jacked.
The action unfolded with Knight having trouble with Cage’s tremendous power. Bailey made sure Archer stayed at bay by taking the initiative to attack on the outside. Knight’s speed paid off for a jumping DDT to set up the closing sequence. Unfortunately, that sequence was flubbed. The idea was a super rana by Knight, but the execution was wonky. Cage had to muscle Knight up into position, and the Jet countered a powerbomb into the rana. That sequence did not look good. What did look good was Cage’s strength to salvage the move. Knight followed for a UFO splash to win. Aside from the finish, this was a solid match. Cage was a force, and that helped Knight look impressive when he prevailed.
Brawling Birds & Hikaru Shida defeated Triangle of Madness via disqualification. In the end, the Birds loaded up for their clothesline finisher on Skye Blue, however, Thekla cracked Hayter with her title belt. The referee threw out the match. Shida ditched her partners as Triangle of Madness inflicted pain. Julia Hart even misted a referee. Willow Nightingale, Mina Shirakawa, and Harley Cameron ran in for the save.
Rowdy action in this one. With the upcoming four-way world title bout, I thought Kris Statlander would have made more sense here over Alex Windsor. Commentary mentioned that Statlander was not cleared due to a minor injury. Even in Stat’s absence, Shida’s behavior spoke volumes in that story about if she can be trusted. She wrestled fine. It was bailing after the match which was shady.
Notes: Jack Perry is motivated to win the Owen and become world champion.
Rush hype package. It’s still unclear where this hype is leading.
Stud of the Show: Darby Allin
Allin is on fire with a streak of great matches.
Match of the Night: Darby Allin vs. Konosuke Takeshita
Yet another banger in Allin’s world title blitz.
Grade: B+
Exciting action and interesting character development. That is a pleasing recipe.
Share your thoughts about AEW Dynamite. How do you rate it? What were your favorite moments from the show? Who impressed you the most?
